Economy Minister received interest-free loan from a questionable source

On Friday daily Super Express ran a politically embarassing story that a well-known lawyer who lent zl. 200,000 to Economy Minister Jacek Piechota has connections with the criminal underworld. Prime Minister Leszek Miller is demanding a full explanation of the matter. "It would be better if he had not borrowed the money. A person who plays a public role should be more careful in personal relations," said Marek Wagner, the director of the prime minister's office. Meanwhile, government spokesman Michal Tober claims that the minister has done nothing wrong and that gossip about his dismissal is pure speculation. "Public figures should be particularly careful in choosing from whom to receive financial help," said Grazyna Kopinska, the head of an anti-corruption organization. She underlined the fact that there was something strange about the loan as it was an interest-free one. According to Piechota's financial declaration, he borrowed the money from Jerzy Zajadlo, a famous lawyer in the Gdansk area. Gazeta Wyborcza, back in 1999 revealed that that Zajadlo did business with individuals who were close friends with a famous gangster called Nikos. Piechota claims that Zajadlo is a trustworthy person who enjoys a very good reputation. (Rzeczpospolita, August 24-25, pp. A1, A3) M.M.